11 March 2014

2014 NFL Mock Draft: 9th Edition

(USA Today Sports)

As you can tell, I've been going pretty hard in terms of blogging on some college hoops (it is March after all), but that does not mean I am not able to crank out a new mock, my ninth edition. Check it out below.
1. Houston Texans - Blake Bortles, QB, UCFA
changing of the guard with the top pick, I am leaning now towards the
Knights quarterback being the first overall pick this May, and it appears that the word around the league is feeling the same.
Bortles has gained some steam as perhaps the top quarterback in his
class and he has an impressive skill set as he has prototypical size
with a strong arm as well as some mobility to pick up yards with his
feet. Plus, Bortles does have a connection to O'Brien as he played ball
for one of O'Brien's mentors, George O'Leary, at UCF. And Bortles was
the only top quarterback prospect to throw at the Combine and he looked
very good.

2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington) - Greg Robinson, T, AuburnI'm
changing up the Rams at two from going with Clowney to going with
Robinson, which is far from a bad pick as Robinson's stock has been
soaring to where he now appears to be the top tackle on the board. His
rise began with a brilliant National Championship performance, and it
has continued thanks to an excellent Combine show with an excellent 40
time of 4.92 at 332 pounds as well as having the desired long arms with
plenty of strength. There is no question the Rams, with Rodger Safford a
free agent and Jake Long with injury issues, could use some help at
tackle.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South CarolinaWill
the Jaguars pass on a quarterback to take Clowney? I think they would,
even with their massive need at quarterback, and their re-signing of Chad Henne may indicate that they may not go QB early. I think that a talent like
Clowney will be too much for a talent-starved Jacksonville team that
could sorely use his prodigious pass rush talents, and thus go for a
quarterback on Day 2. Sure, Clowney had an excellent 40-yard dash with
impressive verticals and broad jump, but those questions about his
effort, or lack thereof at times, persist after he bagged out of the
drills with a supposed injury.

4. Cleveland Browns - Sammy Watkins, WR, ClemsonFor quite a while, I have had the Browns going quarterback with their first selection. However, that changes, at least for this week as it appears from some whispers around the league that Cleveland may instead wait to take a quarterback. While quarterback is still their biggest need, another option opposite Josh Gordon is as well and who would not salivate about the pairing of Gordon with a talent like Watkins. Barring a truly
pitiful Combine performance, Watkins was going to be a top pick but he
tore it up in Indianapolis with just about everything he did. I think he
is poised to step right in and be one of the elite wideouts in the NFL sooner rather than later.

5. Oakland Raiders - Jake Matthews,T,Texas A&MAnd I also have the Raiders passing on a quarterback, and there have been rumors that they are in a bit of a similar camp as the folks up in Cleveland. Ultimately, considering how many needs they have, I think Oakland is going to work hard at moving down and acquiring multiple picks and they do have a lot of needs. And I think that the quarterback that it appears that they want, Derek Carr, is not worthy of a pick this high. They could go a lot of direction but with the concerns of Jared Veldheer hitting free agency after he was not giving the franchise tag, I think Matthews would help fill a void his departure would leave.

6. Atlanta Falcons - Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, BuffaloOne
of the key reasons why the Falcons took multiple steps back in 2013 was
due to a mediocre pass defense and particularly an awful pass rush that
finished 29th in sacks with only 32, or an average of two a game. If
they do not go with one of the talented offensive tackles, which I had
them going before, look for them to go with either Mack or Anthony Barr.
Mack had an excellent 2013 that has helped to propel his draft stock.
He is fast and strong and finds himself living in opposing backfields.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Teddy Bridgewater, QB, LouisvilleWould the Buccaneers be willing to draft a new quarterback in the first round just a year after Mike Glennon was drafted in the second round last year and looked decent when he played? I think if one of the top quarterbacks is available, I think they actually will pull the trigger. Lovie Smith and the new Tampa Bay front office has no allegiance to Glennon, who was not great down the stretch, and has indicated that they would be open to the possibility of taking a quarterback. Now,
I do not like that Bridgewater did not do anything at the Combine,
especially when he said that he was a "competitor," but he is the most
pro-ready quarterback in the draft.

8. Minnesota Vikings - Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&MEverybody knows that the Vikings need a franchise quarterback. Christian Ponder showed he was not the answer. Josh Freeman's limited playing time was a mess, and while Matt Cassel is a decent stop-gap starter, he is not the answer to their questions, or much of any questions at that. I do not have much doubt that the Vikings would take one of the top three QB prospects and thus take Manziel in this scenario. I
am not one of the skeptics of Manziel at the next level as I think he
can be great in the pros. Sure, he may be a little small, his instincts
are amazing, his playmaking ability is excellent and his passing skills
are pretty good as well. The biggest questions with him are his
maturity, but he is absolutely worth the shot in my opinion.

9. Buffalo Bills - Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&ME.J.
Manuel struggled to stay healthy as a rookie but when he was on the
field, he showed some flashes that he can be a good quarterback in the
NFL. Therefore, the Bills should upgrade his supporting cast by
bolstering his receiving corps by taking Evans, who will give a small
group some much-needed size and pair with Steve Johnson to make a nice play-making duo. He had a brilliant 2013 and would give
Manuel a big target in the red zone and elsewhere that would make him a valued playmaker and target.

10. Detroit Lions - Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma StateThe
Lions have a talented (and expensive) defensive line, but with a
cornerback crop that was brutal at times in 2013 that was brutal at
times, a talented cover corner like Dennard would be much appreciated to
fully unleash the line. Dennard was awesome in 2013 and played a key
role for an excellent Michigan State defense that led the Spartans to a
Rose Bowl victory and he is a physical and fluid corner with the
instincts to make plays on the ball even with decent speed.

11. Tennessee Titans - Anthony Barr, DE/OLB, UCLATennessee
would be ecstatic if a talent like Barr were to fall to 11 as I
project here because they could use some added juice to their
disappointing pass rush. Barr is the kind of versatile pass rusher that
teams love to employ these days but with his slight frame, he will have
to bulk up to play defensive end so he appears to be best fitting in a
3-4 or a 4-3 outside linebacker. But with new defensive coordinator Ray
Horton coming to Nashville to run a hybrid scheme, Barr fits.

12. New York Giants - Taylor Lewan, T, MichiganThere
were many reasons why Eli Manning was a turnover machine in 2013, and
thus why the Giants were a disappointing 7-9, but one of the chief ones
had to be a mediocre offensive line that seldom gave Manning time to
make a good decision. Therefore, it makes plenty of sense to take a guy like Lewan who is
rock solid with both pass and run blocking, and is coming off a good
2013 campaign after passing up last year's draft to stay in Ann Arbor.

13. St. Louis Rams - Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan StateThe Rams have a burgeoning defensive line with a pair of stars in Robert
Quinn and Chris Long, but there is no question that for the defense to
take it to another level, and for the team to make a real run at playoff
contention, the secondary is going to have to improve their play. They
could go corner or safety here and after a few mocks of them going
safety, I think they will instead go with Dennard and work the corner
spot. Dennard was awesome in 2013 and played a key
role for an excellent Michigan State defense that led the Spartans to a
Rose Bowl victory and he is a physical and fluid corner with the
instincts to make plays on the ball even with decent speed. However he
showed at the Combine that he is not a good fit in zone coverage.

14. Chicago Bears - Aaron Donald, DT, PittsburghYou
know who I think had the strongest Combine of anyone? I think it was
the talented tackle from Pitt, who has seen his stock soar of late and
thus all the way up to 14. Donald put together an awesome 40 time of a
4.68, had a similarly impressive 3-cone time of 7.11, and he was
tremendous in the drills. He looks to be a solid bet to be a top-16
pick. The
Bears are going to need help defensively and a lot of it as their unit
took several steps backward in 2013. It was a key reason why the club
missed the playoffs when given a good opportunity to win the NFC North
as several players declined at once across the board. The defensive line
could use some work and specifically at defensive tackle as Henry
Melton, who was not great this past season, is a free agent.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Ra'Shede Hageman, DT/DE, MinnesotaPittsburgh could go in a lot of directions with this pick, but for as long as I can remember off the top of my head I have had them going with a defensive lineman as that is where they need help, particularly at the five-technique defensive end position, which is a key position in Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense. Hageman, who was excellent last year and in 2012 for the Golden Gophers,
projects to be a strong 5-technique player in the 3-4. You like how it works out like that?

16. Dallas Cowboys - Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida StateJernigan
was excellent for the national champions in Tallahassee and was very
strong in the national championship, even as he got winded late in the
second half. He's a versatile and disruptive presence that applies good
pressure from the interior of the defensive line. He will be a good fit
for the Dallas defense, and will help to fill a big void at the
defensive tackle position that was a complete mess in 2013.

17. Baltimore Ravens - Marqise Lee, WR, USCYou think Joe Flacco missed Anquan Boldin? I certainly did as he never
found a reliable option at receiver than Torrey Smith, and his play
suffered as a result. Now while taking the electric Lee would give
Baltimore two deep threats when one may think they would be better off
with more of a possession type, I think Ozzie Newsome will be tantalized
by a Lee-Smith tandem with Flacco's big arm.

18. New York Jets - Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina Geno
Smith was a mess in his rookie season and while it is too easy to
ignore him and put the blame on his awful supporting cast, his
supporting cast was awful and it is a necessity if the Jets think Smith
could be the guy that they upgrade the talent around him. Now while Ebron did not tear up Indianapolis as a number of folks
thought he would, he has now solidified himself as the top tight end in a
deep class and a guy whose stock could push him not just into the top
half of the draft, but possibly into the top ten. Ebron is an
incredible athlete for a tight end and was the best tight end in America
in 2013. He's also not a bad blocker either.

19. Miami Dolphins - Zack Martin, T/G, Notre DameThe
offensive line in Miami was truly awful and caused a lot of problems
offensively for the club all season long. Plus, you factor in the
Jonathan Martin-Richie Incognito situation and thus the Dolphins have to
address the line right away. Therefore, Martin is a good fit. Martin had a fine season at left tackle
for the
Fighting Irish but he may project to be more of a guard in the NFL due to
his inconsistency with dealing with speedy pass rushers as well as his
excellent run blocking skills. Either way, Martin works in Miami Gardens.

20. Arizona Cardinals - Dee Ford, DE/OLB, AuburnJohn Abraham was surprisingly good last year rushing the passer, but he cannot be relied on considering the fact that he will be 36 by the NFL Draft. Plus, opposite him, the Cardinals have little in terms of a guy that can consistently get to the pass rusher. It certainly is one of the top needs for Arizona in the draft and thus Ford would fit well, and he fits well into their defense. Now Ford made a
lot of headlines by saying that he was better than Jadeveon Clowney, he
is certainly a talented edge rusher in his own right even as he is
undersized.

21. Green Bay Packers - HaHa Clinton-Dix, S, AlabamaIt
was pretty wild that the Packers, with all the problems they had with
injuries, on defense and with Aaron Rodgers being out for a month, were
able in the end to win the NFC North. That said, there is some work that
needs to be done for the Packers to stay on top, particularly on
defense. One weak spot was at safety, which was a consistent and serious
issue. Dix
is the kind of playmaker that
teams love at free safety in that he
is a good cover guy while also being able to attack in the running game
as well. Sure he isn't a huge hitter, but he has the body to be one and
is a good tackler.

22. Philadelphia Eagles - Calvin Pryor, S, LouisvilleThe
Eagles did the unusual strategy of having four new starters in their
secondary at the start of 2013, and it failed spectacularly as they were
awful against the pass all season long and it really hurt them. The
safety position specifically was a disaster so look for Philadelphia to
bring in a pair of safeties in order for an upgrade. Look for them to
use this pick if one of the top safeties is on the board at 22. Pryor is
a big safety that has a nose for the football and
covers plenty of ground on the field.

23. Kansas City Chiefs - Odell Beckham, WR, LSUAlex
Smith is not a great quarterback but with a talented supporting cast,
he can get the job done and then some and with his decent but not great
arm, it is key
for him to have good weapons. But beyond Dwayne Bowe, there is not a
whole lot on the cupboard for Smith to work with. Beckham has seen his
stock jump of late and thanks to a brilliant Combine performance, his
rise may be one that only continues upward.

24. Cincinnati Bengals - Kony Ealy, DE, MissouriThe
defensive line in Cincinnati is the strength of the club, but there
could be a potential hole to fill at end as there may not be enough
money to throw around in order to re-sign Michael Johnson, so a cheaper
replacement may be found. And the value of Ealy this late in the first
round would be obvious and hard to pass up. Ealy has the
skills to develop into a threat off the edge in the 4-3 and he was
tremendous for the Tigers this past season.

25. San Diego Chargers - Louis Nix, NT, Notre DameRemember Jamal Williams? It seems that since he left the Chargers in 2009, they have struggled to fill his position at nose tackle, a vital position, in their 3-4 defense and their current nose guy, Cam Thomas, is also a free agent. So that gives them doubly reasons to upgrade the spot and if Nix is available this late in the first, they should hurry to the podium on draft night. Nix showed in
Indianapolis very good agility and athleticism in the field, a big plus
for any big tackle. He will not rack up sacks, but he can push the pocket along with plugging rushing lanes.

26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis) - Derek Carr, QB, Fresno StateJust like Oakland, the Browns may think that Derek Carr is their answer for their quarterback issues and thus why they would pass on a quarterback with their first pick. There is no question that the Browns have to find themselves a franchise quarterback, the likes of which they have not had in their current incarnation, as Brandon Weeden was a mess and Brian Hoyer is not a long-term solution. Carr's stock fell with some inconsistent performance down the stretch and in Fresno's bowl game, but I do like him as a quarterback prospect. He has a strong arm that can make all the throws but the concern with him is that he can get flustered by a strong pass rush.

27. New Orleans Saints - C.J. Mosley, ILB, AlabamaMosley
would be a steal at 27 for the Saints in my opinion, as I thought he was when I had him going to Cleveland with the previous pick, as there are a
number of teams that could take him in May. He is the kind of tackler
and leader you love to have in the middle of your defense and he is very
good at multiple aspects of the position while possessing few weakness. He is an excellent and ideal fit for the inside linebacker spot in a 3-4, like New Orleans runs. New Orleans also has issues at the inside linebacker spot. There you go.

28. Carolina Panthers - Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida StateCam
Newton took a big step forward in 2013 but to take another step
forward, he will need improved play from his receiving corps as Steve
Smith struggled to stay healthy late and Brandon Lafell was decent at
best. Benjamin was the
big-play threat for the Seminoles this year and he has
the size and speed to be a serious playmaker in the vertical passing
game. He and Newton could make for one dangerous tandem in the deep passing game.

29. New England Patriots - Jace Amaro, TE, Texas TechRemember
when the Patriots had such a feared tight end duo, one that was the
envy of the rest of the league? Well Rob Gronkowski continues to suffer
injury issues season-in and season-out, and the Aaron Hernandez thing,
well, did not work out. So if one of the top tight ends are available
late in the first, New England will be on the prowl. Therefore, Amaro is
a logical pick as he is a dangerous weapon in the passing game down the
seems.

30. San Francisco 49ers - Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame

San
Francisco has a boatload of picks so they may move up if they are
targeting a specific player, but if they do stay home at 30, they may
find an apprentice for an aging Justin Smith with one of the better
players on the board in this Notre Dame product. Tuitt is a veteran of
the 3-4 and thus fits very well in Vic Fangio's defense. He is a big
defensive end, although perhaps a little too big in 2013, and is a
powerful player that is quicker than you think.

31. Denver Broncos - Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia TechIn a league that has become as passing-oriented as this one has, you can never have too many cornerbacks, especially for a team that lights up the scoreboard like Denver. And they have their issues at corner as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a free agent and their is a vacancy on the other side. Fuller is not particularly fast but he is quick instead for a bigger
cornerback. He also had to operate on an island with the Hokies, who
always seem to pump out quality defensive backs, so he can be left out
one-on-one in man coverage. Fuller also had himself a solid Combine that
could put him into somewhat solidly into the first round.

32. Seattle Seahawks - Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon StateIt
really was impressive that Russell Wilson was able to help lead the
Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory considering he never got much
production from the receiver position. Now Percy Harvin never being
healthy during the season hurt, but the fact is that the club does not
have much in terms of dangerous weapons on the perimeter. Now Cooks'
stock is on the rise after a strong Combine performance as he showed
plenty of speed at a 4.33 40 as well as strong hands and quality route
running ability.

1 comment:

Browns fan here. Like Watkins. One thing, Since getting rid of D'Quell Jackson, we are very thin at LB. I think the Browns would sprint to the podium if CJ Mosley was @26. Best ILB in the Draft and it drops pretty steep after that. If Carr is gone by 35 (May not be) We can go Jimmy G. If the Browns left round one with the best WR & ILB...Farmer would get a statue! Of course we'd tear it down the next night if he bungled our 2nd 3rd round picks!